Afrikaner refugees from South Africa hold American flags as they arrive at Dulles airport in Washington last May. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP View image in fullscreen Afrikaner refugees from South Africa hold American flags as they arrive at Dulles airport in Washington last May. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP US foreign policy Trump administration diverts human rights funds to push far-right agenda abroad Support such as for white Afrikaners and anti-communism reveals how US is redefining what qualifies as human rights
Prefer the Guardian on Google With hours left before the funding expires, the Trump administration is pushing to direct more than $175m of the state department’s flagship human rights fund to a slate of awards that includes a huge $40m grant for an anti-communism fund, support for a group advancing white Afrikaner rights in South Africa, a campaign against Brazil’s supreme court and programs that would reward ideological allies in Europe who protect “western civilizational norms”.
On Wednesday, the state department obligated the funds to the grantees hours before the deadline despite congressional concerns and requests not to do so, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The state department declined to comment on questions from the Guardian specifically on whether it had obligated the funds and had “blown” holds from Congress due to concerns about the money’s use.
Critics have focused on 43 awards of a combined $176.9m that will bolster rightwing and conservative causes around the world while probably angering US allies over interference in internal politics. The Guardian has seen a sample of the controversial grants, which make up most of the $205m in funding that Congress has appropriated for the entire Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF).
Sources with knowledge of the grant process have told the Guardian that the awards were personally lobbied for by members of the Trump administration, and reflect interests that include JD Vance’s warnings of the collapse of traditional western values in Europe and Stephen Miller’s push against immigration and to support white minorities in countries like South Africa .
“The story for me is the high-level – including White House-directed – attention on these programs,” said a person familiar with the discussions over the democracy awards. “These awards have been briefed at the highest levels of the department and have buy-in from the White House.”
The proposed awards represent a significant shift in US support for dissidents, human rights defenders and civil society groups under authoritarian governments. The new slate includes projects in wealthy nations, and those focused on opposition to regulation, Brexit, immigration, anti-communism, Christian protection and opposition to “gender ideology”, offering a window into how the Trump administration is redefining what qualifies as human rights and merits tens of millions of dollars in US foreign assistance.
“Congress appropriated money for the democracy fund on a bipartisan basis to support defenders of human rights, to assist victims of human rights violations and to instead promote the growth of democracy abroad,” said Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the US Senate committee on foreign relations.
“The Trump administration’s proposals would use taxpayer funds to promote far-right organizations and programs in established democracies. This is a waste of resources and undermines United Sta…